Cars: Claude Scruggs (Leak Less)

Here we have the Disney·Pixar Mattel 1:55 scale release of Claude Scruggs, better known by his sponsor Leak Less (No.52). This character has been released numerous times since the this collection began in 2006.

As shown in the screenshot above, Leak Less is briefly seen in the film's opening Motor Speedway of the South race. He is one of the 36 race cars competing for the Piston Cup.

Leak Less hasn't been released recently, but you can find him pretty easily online. For the best prices, visit Amazon or eBay using this direct link: Cars: Leak Less

Thanks for visiting today's post and be sure to come back daily for more from my Pixar collection! 

Radiator Springs 500 1/2: Walmart 3-Pack

In late May 2014, Disney·Pixar released their most recent Cars Toon ("Tales from Radiator Springs") called The Radiator Springs 500 1/2. The short was released exclusively online via the Disney Movies Anywhere app (if you missed it originally, you can currently watch it HERE).

Not long after the release of the Toon, Mattel released a collection of awesome diecast cars based on characters from the film (see my full write-up on those HERE) and a playset (seen HERE).

Luckily for us Cars diecast fans, even more new characters from RS 500 1/2 are now starting to be released! One of the cars I was hoping would become available has now been released in a Walmart exclusive 3-pack..."Stanley Day" Ramone! Pixar never ceases to give Ramone super cool paint jobs in all the Cars films/toons and this one is no exception. Such a cool design!

As mentioned, this Ramone is only available in this 3-pack. The other cars included here, who were already released in the single packs, are Off-Road Lightning Mcqueen and Shifty Sidewinder. Because I needed this Ramone, but already had the other two, I actually ended up just returning my single packs of Lightning and Shifty to the store to pay for this set (plus I didn't need duplicates of them).

This set is available at Walmart stores now. I found this one back in December so it's been out for a little while. Check yours for availability and good luck on the hunt!

Note: Future characters in this diecast line include Fillmore (with jugs) and Sarge (with canopy) as well as a new track set (Tailpipe Cavern). Look for those here soon as well!

Up: Hot Topic Tee

Recently, Hot Topic stores released this great minimal style Disney·Pixar Up themed T-shirt featuring the film's iconic balloon/house imagary! I love the simplistic design against the solid black fabric. As soon as I saw this, I knew this would be right up my alley to purchase.

If you're interested in this as well, hurry over to HotTopic.com (visit the direct link HERE) to snag  one before it goes out of stock. It's currently on sale for $16.40, which is a great deal for this unique, quality tee. If you're a fan of Up, I can't recommend this shirt enough! It feels good and fits great.

Thanks so much for visiting today's post and be sure to check back daily for more! Please contact me or leave a comment if you have any additional thoughts, questions or suggestions.

The Incredibles: Thinkway Toys Mr. Incredible Figure

Last fall, Thinkway Toys released an exciting line of Disney·Pixar products- sold exclusively at Toys R Us stores. One of the items released was this very neat Mr. Incredible collectible figure!

This is a poseable six inch plastic "Deluxe Action Figure" (except, no action features), complete with multiple points of articulation, a display stand/base and an "Ominidroid v.10"grappling claw accessory.

While this is a well made toy, I can see it possibly breaking if given to kids too young. With the $19.99 price tag (a bit too expensive if you ask me, luckily I got this one on sale), I'd say this is best suited for older kids and/or adult collectors. Since there are no action features, young kids might not find this a very entertaining figure. The display base is perfect for those who love to display their collectibles, like me!

As seen on the back of the package, the Omnidroid claw can also snap onto Mr. Incredible's arm. Syndrome doesn't stand a chance now! 

Look for other figures in this collection, such as Wall·E, Eve, Bruce, Nemo and Syndrome. Additional reviews of these will be right here soon! You can find this line of figures at Toys R Us stores right now or visit their website HERE to purchase. I recommend this for any fan of The Incredibles! Especially since any new merch from The Incredibles is hard to come by these days.

A big thanks and shout out to my thoughtful wife Brita who got me this one for Valentine's Day!

Toy Story: Barrel of Monkeys

While not an "official" Toy Story product, Milton Bradley's real life Barrel of Monkeys is a prevalent toy seen multiple times throughout all three Toy Story films and in the Toon Hawaiian Vacation. Since the game was created in 1965 (by Lakeside Toys, later sold to MB), this classic, timeless toy has had many versions/colors released and is still produced to this today.

In Toy Story, Andy's Barrel of Monkeys is yellow with red monkeys...so that's what I needed to track down for my collection since I wanted it to be as screen accurate as possible.

Of course, the yellow barrel did not originally ever come with red moneys. The red monkeys came with the red barrel, the yellow monkeys came with the yellow barrel and so on. I lucked out though and found this one recently (perfect vintage condition) on eBay, which included a bunch red and yellow monkeys from the seller!

The yellow barrel can be a hard version to track down. This color wasn't produced as much as the other colors over the decades and is not among the assortment today. Today, you'll mostly just find red, green and blue barrels available. The one I have here is Milton Bradley's 1989 version, but the yellow barrels released previous to this (say, from the 60's and 70's) are also Toy Story accurate.

In the 90's, I got a red Barrel of Monkeys (since yellow had stopped being produced) to go with my Toy Story collection (see my original post HERE), but have never been completely satisfied with it since it Andy's barrel is yellow in the film. Sorry red barrel, you've now officially been replaced!

There are some listings for these vintage yellow barrels on eBay currently (some with red monkeys!), so head there now using this direct link if you're looking to track this down: Vintage Yellow Barrel of Monkeys

Cars: Rudy "Easy" Oaks (Easy Idle) & Pitty 2-Pack

Here we have a brand new Disney·Pixar Cars release from Mattel...a "movie moments" 2-pack featuring 1:55 scale diecatsts of Rudy "Easy" Oaks and an Easy Idle Pitty! Rudy and his Pitty have been released in the past, but this is the first time they've hit shelves in many years (not to mention the first time in a 2-pack together). These cars are #7/18 and #8/18 of the 2015 "Piston Cup" sub-series.

In the film, Rudy (sponsored by "Easy Idle", No. 51) is briefly seen in the opening Motor Speedway of the South race. He is one of the race cars competing for the Piston Cup.

I haven't been collecting the various race team pitties (as its been hard enough catching up on all the 36 racers, let alone their pitties, crew chiefs and haulers), but this one was an exception since he came in a 2-pack with Rudy (who I needed). Maybe someday I'll get to collecting all the pitties though...we'll see!

In addition, I do like that this pack comes with an Easy Idle tool box as well. Nice touch! Gotta love the accessories.

Find this 2-pack in stores now! 

Pixar Collection: Hallmark 2 Glasses Beverage Set (The Incredibles & Finding Nemo)

Part of the stunning new Hallmark exclusive line of decorative Disney·Pixar products, here we have their collectible "2 Glasses" Beverage Set with characters from The Incredibles & Finding Nemo! I was absolutely thrilled when I saw these at the store and knew I needed them as part of my collection. These are definite must haves for Pixar fans!

This set retails for $24.95. Each glass hold 15.5 oz. and are dishwasher safe.

The Incredibles glass features Mr. Incredible, Dash and Violet, while the Finding Nemo glass features Dory, Nemo and Squirt. I absolutely love the minimalistic designs.

Also available, which I'll be showing here soon as well, is Hallmark's second Pixar glasses set - showcasing characters from Monsters Inc. & Toy Story!

You can find these at Hallmark stores everywhere or purchase them online at their website HERE. A BIG thanks to my thoughtful wife Brita who gave me these as part of my Valentine's Day present! Props to her.

Toy Story: Minimal Art Prints For Nursery/Child's Room

I often find myself browsing Etsy for any cute "minimal" style Pixar art that might pop up on there, however there's never been anything that has stood out to me as a "must have". That changed a couple weeks ago when I saw this adorable Disney·Pixar Toy Story Minimalist Modern Print Set - it was most definitely a must have for me as soon as I saw it! 

This set of four 8"X10" prints is available from Etsy seller/artist RitzyReba, which she sells for $51.00. There are seven other sizes to choose from as well if you're looking for these in bigger prints. Here is the official description from the item listing: 

The Toy Story fans in your life will love this set of 4 minimalist prints inspired by Disney Pixar's Toy Story! Perfect for a modern nursery, child’s room, or playroom. Featuring everyone's favorite alien, Woody's "Andy" boot, the Pixar ball, and the Toy Story cloud wallpaper!

This listing is for one Toy Story inspired set of 4 prints, see my other listings or contact me for individual prints.

ITEM DETAILS:

1. One set including four (4) prints in your selected size
2. Printed using high quality 80 lb. matte paper
3. Your print will be lovingly packaged and shipped in a sturdy mailer within one week.

My wife and I plan on doing a Toy Story room for our kid someday (assuming he'll like Toy Story, we'll see about that) and I thought these could be perfect above a desk or dresser. They totally match  the style we're planning on going for. I also can't wait until we get these matted and framed as well, since I'm sure that will make them look even more stunning.

If it's hard for you to resist these prints as it was for me, visit this direct link to her listing to purchase. A big thanks to RitzyBeba for making such fantastic art and to my parents for snagging this for me for Valentine's Day! 

Note: If you like what you see here, you also might want to check out her Cars prints. I might just have to go for those next-they're really great!

Toy Story: Hallmark Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Earlier this week, when my wife and I were sending out our homemade Valentines to our families, I decided to include a Toy Story Valentine for each of my 13 nieces and nephews along with them! I thought it would be fun for them to get a little something extra from their Pixar fan uncle.

I found this $1 boxed set at Walmart- it included 25 tear-out Valentines (six sheets of four designs and one teacher card) and one sheet of 36 stickers. Finding any Valentines that were Pixar related was actually pretty difficult this year, so I was happy when I finally found this one (the last at the store) after searching all over.

I had a lot of fun writing each of my nieces and nephews a little note and placing the stickers on them here and there. It also brought back some memories buying this style of Valentines...I totally remember handing out/receiving these types of cards in elementary school as a kid! I remember thinking it was awesome when I would get one from my crush (since I thought that meant she liked me), not realizing then that it was actually required for students to not leave anyone out. Good times.

Now, lets flash forward to today. This morning, my wife Brita and I opened a package from my family- which included a bunch of Valentines from our nieces and nephews. My little nephew Noah, a HUGE Toy Story fan, sent us along this one below. I thought that was cute! I had to share it here.

Anyway, here's hoping to a fun, festive and safe holiday. Thanks for dropping by!

Cars: Kevin Racingtire (Shifty Drug)

Here we have another great new Mattel 1:55 scale (re)release from the original Cars, Kevin Racingtire (also known by his sponsor, Shifty Drug No. 35)! He is part of the 2015 "Piston Cup" sub-series (#2/18).

In the film, Kevin is one of the 36 Piston Cup racers seen in the opening race. Interestingly, in the film (and on Mattel's package), Kevin appears to be a hot pink color. The diecast, however, is red.

Find Kevin Racingtire in stores now, or check out Amazon or eBay for the best online prices. Good luck on the hunt!


UPDATE- 5/16/15
So... like I mentioned in the post above, when Mattel originally released this character earlier this year, they actually got his color wrong. They released Kevin as being a red color, rather than the film accurate hot pink. Well, they quickly corrected that error and recently released him in his correct color scheme! Now I'm happy to have both.

A big thanks to my good friend (and fellow Cars collector) Adrianne for picking this up for me. He was kind enough to surprise me with it one day after he found out I was looking for it. Much appreciated!

Pixar Collection: D23 Short Films Mystery Pins (UPDATED)

During the 2013 D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA, the convention offered an exclusive limited release collection of "Mystery Pins" based on characters from Pixar Short Films. There are eight standard characters included in this collection (limited to 4000 pieces produced) and two "chasers" (limited to 400 pieces produced) for a total of ten pins. Each box contained two randomly selected pins and retailed for $19.95. 

As seen on the back of the package, the eight characters to collect are: Day & Night, Mini Buzz (from Small Fry), Air Mater, Bambino (from La Luna), Stu (from Lifted), Hula Pricklepants (from Hawaiian Vacation), Andre and Wally B., and BURN-E (from Wall·E).

The two "chasers" feature the Toy Story Toons logo and the Cars Toons logo.

Since I wasn't able to attend the convention, I've been slowly trying to track these down for the best prices I can find on eBay. A big thanks to blog reader Brian H. for getting me started by sending my very first two - Andre and Wally B. and Air Mater.

In addition, I've been able to purchase Stu and Bambino....

...as well as Mr. Pricklepants and BURN-E.

Six down, just four to go! If anyone out there has any extras of the ones I need that they want to get off their hands, just let me know. In the mean time, I'll be looking for the best deals online. I'll update this post as more are added to my collection soon!

You may also be interested in checking out the even more rare first Pixar Short Films Mystery Pin Collection, featuring even more characters from Pixar's earlier shorts. View the box HERE and the pins HERE. That collection I have yet to track down.

UPDATE 4/08/15- 

Toy Story Toons: Small Fry Buzz has been added to my collection! Just three to go now. Thanks to my wife Brita who picked this up for me as a thoughtful Easter present.

Toy Story: MagicBandits

Toy Story MagicBandits have finally arrived! Since I started collecting these last year during our trip to Disney World (see my other posts featuring Monsters Inc., The Incredibles and Cars Bandits), I had actually hoped that Toy Story ones would come out one day. Well, that day has come!

MagicBandits are something I had a lot of fun collecting during our last Disney World visit. I had no idea about these before we arrived, but they turned out to be a really fun surprise. If you've never heard of them, they're basically just little accessories that snap into the extra holes of your magic band (seen below) to add additional pops of color and personality. At first when I saw these, I thought they were kind of a pointless way for Disney World to make extra money. I was like"these are lame, who would buy these." That thought didn't last more than ten seconds once I saw Pixar themed ones.

The first Pixar Bandits I ever saw in the parks were the Monsters Inc. ones, which sold me on the idea of these things. I thought it would be fun to add some of my love for Pixar to my magic band and my overall "ensemble". After finding those, I was hooked and looked for more Pixar related Bandits. I then found a great Cars 3-pack (featuring Lightning Mcqueen, Mater and Lightning's signature number 95 logo) and then found out there was a rare/sold out Incredibles 4-pack (which I got online once I got home). 

You may be wondering if these stay on well. Yes, once you pop them on, they're pretty secure. They can snag on things, however, and pop off (I had that happen once or twice, for example getting off of Rockin' Roller Coaster). For the most part though, you won't have to worry about them falling off. Getting these for young kids though may be a different story, since they could easily rip them off and toss them aside. I definitely wouldn't get them for kids under six or seven, but it totally depends on the kid of course. Just in case you do plan on getting these Bandits for very young kids, be aware that they can easily be snagged on something or pulled off and lost.

You can find these in Disney Parks now. They were literally just available at the DisneyStore.com last week (that's where I bought them), but looking back they seem to be already sold out there. There's always eBay though, so visit this direct link to check out current listings. Good luck on the hunt!

Cars 2: Art of Book

Beginning in late 2012, I started catching up on all of the Disney·Pixar "Art of" books (by Chronicle Books Publishing) that I've missed over the many years. For whatever reason, I started collecting these late in the game- but I'm all caught up now! The Art of Cars 2 was the very last one I needed.

See my posts on all of others using the direct links below:
The Art of Monsters Inc.
The Art of Finding Nemo
The Art of The Incredibles
The Art of Cars
The Art of Ratatouille
The Art of Wall·E
The Art of Up
The Art of Toy Story 3
The Art of Brave
The Art of Monsters University

Chronicle Publishing never released "Art of" books for Toy Story, A Bug's Life or Toy Story 2, so I purchased similar books that are comparable:
The Toy Story Films: An Animated Journey
A Bug's life: The Art and Making of an Epic of Miniature Proportions

Anyway, let's get back to The Art of Cars 2!  This book was released on June 22, 2011 to coincided with the film's release in theaters. It was written by Ben Queen & Karen Paik with a foreword by the film's director, John Lasseter.

Whatever your feelings are towards Cars 2 (Yes, we're all aware that the reviews from critics and audiences were the most harsh of all the Pixar films to date. However, I still find it very enjoyable and fun), there's no denying the amount of work and love that went into this this film. In John Lasseter's foreword, you really get a sense of his passion for these characters and his desire to tell the best story possible. Without the help of hundreds of talented and dedicated artists, however, John's vision would not have been brought to life.

This book is an amazing collection of work from so many people who contributed an essential part to the making of the film, yet ultimately often go unnoticed. Within its 160 pages, you'll find countless pieces of concept art, color tests, computer renders, abandoned ideas, storyboards and reference photographs with textual commentary including behind the scenes tidbits, quotes from the filmmakers and so on.

Take a peek inside with some page examples below:

If you're a fan of Pixar's Cars or even art/animation in general, then this is most definitely for you. You can currently pick it up on sale over at Amazon. Head there now!

Pixar Collection: "Project-A-Lite" Character Projector/Flashlight

While I was meandering around Toys R Us last weekend, I stumbled across this fun little Disney·Pixar "Project-A- Lite- Ultra Bright Character Projector" from Spotlite. I thought, "I loved these types of things as a kid!" So I figured for $5 or so bucks? Why not?

As mentioned on the package, this is a 3-in-1 toy. It's a flashlight, a lantern and (what I got it for) a character projector. There are six interchangeable characters to "project": Buzz Lightyear , Woody, Slinky Sulley, Mike Wazowski and Boo.

Two AAA batteries are required (not included).

After the batteries are inserted (small screwdriver needed, instructions on back), rotate the green ring on the front to turn on the light. Attach one of the of the six character discs, head to a dark room (pitch black works the best) and you're ready to shine!

Additionally, you can store the other discs in the bottom of the handle when not in use.

And here's an idea of what the six images look like when projected on the wall: